Few cars face more pressure than Honda's latest small car offering.

2016 Honda Civic first drive review

Honda is adamant that the new Civic sedan represents a return to form. That's because it must.

Few machines hit the road under more pressure than the brand's latest offering, one tasked with arresting the slide of a once-popular brand increasingly overlooked by Australian drivers.

As it enters the most popular and competitive segment on the road, it's not enough for the new Civic to be good. It needs to be great.

Honda admits it lost its way in recent years, plotting a conservative course that has not resonated with customers originally drawn to the brand by a combination of dependability, innovative engineering and driver appeal.

Desperate to regain its reputation as 'the Japanese BMW', Honda has invested millions in a new NSX supercar, an upcoming Type R hatchback and this, the 10th generation Civic small car.

Available only as a sedan for now, the new Civic has a sharp, sporty style that looks a fair bit bolder than what we've seen from Honda in the recent past, a somewhat edgy look that separates it from the crowd.

The new machine is priced from $22,390 in Civic VTi form as part of an increasingly popular strategy to avoid scrapping for fleet, rental or discount buyers in favour of pursuing more lucrative private customers.

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Buyers looking for more can upgrade to the $24,490 Civic VTi-S that brings 16-inch alloys, smart keys, front and rear parking sensors and Honda's mirror-mounted lane watch camera system that plays live video of the car's left-side blind spot when changing lanes.

The VTi and VTi-S are powered by a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine that offers 104kW and 174Nm performance, along with 6.4L/100km fuel efficiency.

The rest of the range benefits from a new 1.5-litre turbo motor with 127kW and 220Nm outputs along with 6L/100km fuel use. As always, using less petrol to make more power indicates commendable progress.

Both engines drive the front wheels through a CVT (continuously variable transmission) automatic that is standard across the range, heralding the death of the manual gearbox in yet another model.

Access to the new turbo engine starts at $27,790 in VTi-L form that also brings goodies such as 17-inch alloys, climate control and a digital radio, while a top-spec VTi-LX adds satellite navigation, a premium stereo, electric sunroof, full-LED lights and a driver assistance suite for $33,590.

A sports-themed Civic RS brings most of the LX goodies (save for sat nav and driver aids) and a body kit that replaces chrome elements with black details on the grille and wheels for $31,790. Honda says customers won't be embarrassed by a red, fist-sized RS logo on the back of a car with no more poise or power than a church-going Civic, though enthusiasts familiar with RS-badged Audi, Porsche and Renault weaponry may do so on their behalf.

Setting schadenfreude aside, our first impressions of the Civic take place at the wheel of an RS which surprises with an excellent driving position featuring a low-set seat, chunky leather steering wheel and simplified instrumentation that does away with the double decker, triple screen setup of the outgoing model.

The new model is wider and lower than its predecessor, with a taut stance that looks purposeful on the road. It's a bigger car with plenty of space, and a decent-sized boot capable of swallowing copious luggage.

Textured materials have a European look and feel, and the Display Audio system's seamless smartphone integration reinforces the must-have nature of Apple CarPlay or Android auto for tech-minded travellers.

The new car has a much cleaner cabin than its predecessor, a trait helped by the addition of an electronic handbrake in place of the old car's manual lever. There's no volume wheel for the stereo, which features touch-sensitive controls printed on its glass fascia as well as a nifty control bar on the steering wheel that allows you to swipe up or down to adjust the volume – or click it for minute adjustment.

Moving away from rest, that new wheel is home to a reassuring weight that loads up nicely as the car gathers pace. Honda has done a fine job with the suspension tune of this machine, which feels composed on country roads and in the suburbs. It's a supple, well sorted thing that gets the job done in a fuss-free manner save for a dash too much road noise than we would like to hear.

The new turbo motor is a gem, quiet and effortless with a generous dollop of torque that offers spirited performance on the road. The engine would be better served with a good conventional auto or dual-clutch transmission in place of the Civic's rubbery CVT, though buyers are unlikely to be offended by the odd spot of hesitation inherent in the elastic transmission type.

Stepping out of the RS, it quickly becomes apparent that the Civic makes more sense in entry-level form, where a smoother ride from taller and less noisy tyres joins adequate performance from the old 1.8-litre engine in a cabin that feels just as clever as models that cost an extra $10,000.

Many buyers will be asked to compromise when ordering a new Civic, as there is no diesel option, no manual transmission, no hatchback until next year and no chance of getting driver aids such as active cruise control on anything but the top model.

That's a pity, as the top Civic's "Honda Sensing" suite with autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assistance and active cruise control features are excellent examples of the breed.

There's plenty going for this Civic, but it doesn't reinvent the wheel. This is a competent, well-sorted car worthy of consideration alongside the Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Ford Focus and others of its ilk.

It's clear that Honda has built a good car. But we'll have to see whether it can turn the company's sales around to know if it is truly great.